The accurate and efficient placement of small rods in machined holes is important in a number of applications. In such applications, the automation of the placement of the small rods provides a degree of efficiency that is needed to make the applications commercially viable. Systems that use robotic technology have been developed in order to aid in the automated placement of small rods at desired locations. In general, these systems use a robotic arm to retrieve a small rod from one location and then transport and deposit the small rod at the desired end location. Most of the time the rod is deposited in a substantially vertical orientation.
Pneumatic grippers have been used along with the robotic technology as the effector portion of the robotic arm that actually interacts with the small rods. In particular, the pneumatic grippers are able to clamp around the small rod to retrieve the rod at a holding station and maintain the rod until the pneumatic gripper is positioned above the desired end location for the small rod. The pneumatic gripper then is influenced to release the small rod at the desired end location.
Unfortunately, prior to the present invention, automated systems that involve the use of robotic technology coupled with pneumatic grippers have not been as accurate, efficient, and repeatable as is needed for the placement of small rods in precision machined holes. Further, the existing robotic technology is deficient for the placement of small rods at desired depths within the precision machined holes, because the existing robotic technology often fails to meet compliance standards, thereby leading to the small rods being damaged during the automated placement of the small rods.
Therefore, these is a need for an automated system for retrieving and placing small rods in precision machined holes at desired depths in a manner that is more accurate and efficient than existing robotic rod placement systems.
The present invention is directed to overcoming these and other deficiencies in the art.